October 29, 2025
Web desk
Devastation from Hurricane Melissa continued to spread across the Caribbean on Wednesday as the storm moved over Cuba after leaving a deadly imprint in Haiti and Jamaica.
In Haiti’s southern coastal town of Petit‑Goâve, 25 people lost their lives when a river burst its banks amid torrential rains, flooding and collapsing dozens of homes. The town’s mayor described the situation as “overwhelming” and appealed to the government for urgent help.
Meanwhile in Jamaica, at least one death was reported when a tree fell on a baby in the west of the island. The storm had made landfall on Tuesday as a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane with sustained winds of up to 185 mph, making it one of the strongest Atlantic storms on record. In response, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared the country a “disaster area.”
After ravaging Jamaica, Melissa weakened slightly but remained dangerous as it crossed into Cuba early Wednesday. It made landfall in eastern Cuba and prompted the evacuation of more than 735,000 people in provinces such as Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Holguín and Las Tunas. Cuban officials reported houses collapsed, roads blocked by flooding, and roofs torn away. Forecasters said the storm would continue on toward the Bahamas, though somewhat weakened.
